To be Church and make the experience of Church

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dc.contributor.authorTangaza University College
dc.date.accessioned2019-04-24T09:08:18Z
dc.date.available2019-04-24T09:08:18Z
dc.date.issued2004
dc.description.abstractThe holy men and women of the Church which is in , e Africa, both ancient and modem, were greatly concerned to build and experience Church as a profound sign of unity in faith and charity. As an ancient Church its origins go back to the . times of the Apostles, associated traditionally with the ministry of the Apostle Mark. This ancient Church of Africa gave birth to countless Martyrs, Confessors, Virgins and many simple but holy Christians. It had a vigorous and leading theological centre at Alexandria. _The Alexandrian defending the faith, laid the foun­dations pf theology, as faith in ~-- Christian centre, in its service of dialogue with reason, culture, society, experience, etc. It is con­sidered the oldest centre of sacred science in the history of Christianity. It counted amon erst . b its students and teachers such famous theologians as Clement, Athanasius, Cyril, Dionysius, Pierius, Didymus. Then along the North African Coastline we recall Tertullian, Cyprian and Augustine. They were in the Church and made the experience of Church; they loved the Church in imitation of Christ, who "loved the Church and sacrificed himself for her" (Eph S :26). While championing the cause of unity in faith with the weapons of the intellect, these great Fathers prepared the way for the scientific study of God's revelation. The deeper the new religion penetrated the ancient world, the more they felt the need for an exposition of its tenets in an orderly, compre­hensive and exact way; for this were created the theological "schools, the cradles of science, as · instruments of unity in faith and charity. Tangaza too as a theoloz- ical and ministerial institution in Africa is a bearer of that tradition at the service of faith and of God's family. To be that Church and to make the same experience of Church that is a sign and instrument of unity in faith and charity, in spite of the constant threats to both, is at the heart of our beinz at Tangaza. This lived experience of the Church and commitment to it is a must as we prepare our­selves scientifically and profes­sionally to answer to the Challenges that the Pope raises in the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation, Ecclesia in Africa. These challenges are many and very demanding: How can African Christians become ever more faithful witnesses to the Lord Jesus (EA 46)? How can the Church in Africa reject. a way of living which does not correspond to the. best of African traditions and our Christian faith (cf. EA 48)? How can we be catalysts of unity and reconciliation wherever there is hostility and division (cf. EA 49)? How can we promote the well-being and stability of marital relationships and family (cf. EA 50)? As ministerially charged peo­ ple, how do we face the challenges of social and political difficulties? (cf. EA 51), etc. A close examination of these chal­ lenges will certainly reveal that, no appropriate answer can be given, unless the answer itself has been experienced, and lived in ones own life. We are convinced that placing ourselves at the service of the Church in Africa is not simply a matter of receiving doctrinal moral or humanistic instruction. It is above all a whole attitude of existence, consisting in a living union with a living person, Jesus Christ, and his living Body, the Church. Indeed, when our being is radically affected by the mys­ tery of Christ, and we live in the Church and experience the Church as truly Christ's Body here on earth, it is possible to· be God's ministers in IJ.Il effective way to be done. This year, I would like to emphasise the first of our three commitments: to build at Tangaza College one single God­ centred and people-centred com­ munity while encouraging responsible independence and effective collegiality. The ques­ tion at heart therefore is the unity in the diversity of the-College: the diversity of Institutes (8, including the Islamic Studies), diversity of nations (over 50), diversity of religious charisms -(102 religious communities), ethnic groups (very hard to num­ . ber them, but it may be well over 400), vocations (ordained, reli­ gious, lay), tasks (students, lee- existing unity, though very much imperfect in this world, but a unity which is fundamental for the life of the College.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12342/835
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherTangaza University Collegeen_US
dc.subjectChurchen_US
dc.titleTo be Church and make the experience of Churchen_US
dc.title.alternativeInaugural address 2003-20004en_US
dc.typeOtheren_US
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